ASB Classic 2023: Emma Raducanu vs Linda Fruhvirtova preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match Details

Fixture: Emma Raducanu vs Linda Fruhvirtova.

Tournament: ASB Classic 2023.

Round: First round (Round of 32).

Date: January 3, 2023.

Venue: ASB Tennis Centre, Auckland.

Category: WTA 250.

Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt.

Prize money: $259,303.

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | Australia - beIN Sports.

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Emma Raducanu vs Linda Fruhvirtova preview

Emma Raducanu in action at the Korea Open

Emma Raducanu will face Linda Fruhvirtova in the first round of the 2023 ASB Classic in Auckland.

Raducanu endured a disappointing 2022 season, winning only 17 out of 36 matches.

She debuted in the Top-10 of the WTA rankings but suffered a massive drop after suffering a first-round defeat in her title defense at the US Open. The Brit's highlights of the season were reaching the semifinals of the Korea Open and the quarterfinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

Fruhvirtova, meanwhile, won 10 out of 18 matches during the 2022 season.

She won her first WTA title at the Chennai Open by beating Poland's Magda Linette in the final. The teenager also reached the fourth round of the Miami Open with wins over Danka Kovinic, Elise Mertens and Victoria Azarenka before losing to Paula Badosa.

Her last appearance on the WTA Tour came at the Guadalajara Open, where she lost to Sloane Stephens in the first round. Fruhvirtova's performances saw her enter the top 100 of the WTA rankings.

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Emma Raducanu vs Linda Fruhvirtova head-to-head

The head-to-head between the two players is 0-0 as they haven't locked horns on the tour previously.

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Emma Raducanu vs Linda Fruhvirtova odds

Odds will be updated when available.

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Emma Raducanu vs Linda Fruhvirtova prediction

This promises to be a closely-contested match as both players are fine young talents with bright futures in store.

Raducanu has a strong serve which help her dominate her service games. She also has a pretty decent return game which could be decisive in breaking her opponent. The Brit will look to play aggressively from the beginning but will have to be very careful not to hit too many unforced errors.

Raducanu recently put up a good fight against World No. 2 Ons Jabeur at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships. Fans will expect her to bounce back from a down year and do well in 2023.

Meanwhile, Fruhvirtova's game has a lot of variety as she can play aggressively but has good defensive skills as well. The 17-year-old Czech has good net play due to her doubles experience and can mix her groundstrokes with slices and drop shots.

Raducanu is the more-fancied player among the two, but Fruhvirtova seems a relatively more composed player on the court and is less prone to errors. The latter should be able to come out on top in this clash.

Pick: Linda Fruhvirtova to win in three sets.